Mother Daughter Tattoo Ideas: Small, Meaningful and Matching

A mother and daughter tattoo is a permanent reminder of one of life's most important relationships. Some are planned for a milestone birthday, a wedding or a new baby in the family. Others mark getting through something hard together. Whatever the reason, the best designs are simple, meaningful and loved by both of you. Here are mother daughter tattoo ideas that tick every box.

Here are mother daughter tattoo ideas, from tiny symbols to quotes, plus tips for choosing a design you will both still love in 20 years.

Small mother daughter tattoos

• Matching hearts on the wrist, ankle or ring finger.
• Two small stars, or one star each that joins when you stand side by side.
• A tiny infinity symbol for endless love.
• Your initials on each other's wrist.
• A single dot or tiny moon in the same place.

Symbols for mother and daughter

• Sun and moon: two different people who belong together. Choose who is which.
• Big bird and little bird, or a bird and nest, representing care and growing up.
• The Celtic motherhood knot: a modern knotwork design that combines hearts to represent the bond between mother and child.
• Elephants: a mother and baby elephant, a popular symbol of protection and family.
• Lock and key, or two puzzle pieces.
• A tree with roots and branches, symbolising family and growth. See our guide to tree of life tattoos.

Flower tattoos for mother and daughter

Flowers are one of the most popular choices because they can be personal and beautiful at the same time.

• Each other's birth month flower, so the mother wears the daughter's flower and the daughter wears the mother's.
• The same flower at different stages, such as a full bloom for mum and a bud for her daughter.
• A shared favourite flower, perhaps from the garden you grew up with.

Quote and word tattoos

Short words usually work better than long quotes. Popular choices include:

• "Always", "Forever" or "Love you more".
• "Mother" and "Daughter", or "Mama" and "Mini".
• A phrase you always say to each other.
• Each other's handwriting, copied from a card or letter.

Handwriting tattoos are especially meaningful and are also a popular way to remember a mother who has passed away. See our memorial tattoo ideas.

Designs for mother, daughter and more

If there are several daughters, or grandmother, mother and daughter want to get tattoos together, consider:

• A cluster of stars or dots, one for each person.
• Three birds in flight, or the same flower in three stages.
• A bouquet of everyone's birth month flowers.

Our sibling tattoo ideas have more designs for groups of three or four.

Tips for mother and daughter tattoos

• Agree properly. Both of you should genuinely love the design, not just go along with it.
• Matching does not have to mean identical. Different sizes, placements or small variations let each of you make it your own.
• Check the law on age. In the UK, it is illegal to tattoo anyone under 18, even with a parent's consent, and many US states have their own restrictions. See our guide to the legal age for tattoos.
• Choose a style that ages well. Very fine, tiny details can blur. Read how fine line tattoos age.
• Think about placement. Wrists, forearms, ankles and collarbones are popular for matching tattoos. Our guide to tattoo placement names shows the options.
• Book together. Getting tattooed side by side turns it into a memory in itself.

First tattoo for one of you? Read our first tattoo guide before you go.